About ISS

As globalization accelerates, the world’s challenges are becoming more complex. International schools sit at the crux of enormous opportunity and often serve as dynamic and vibrant beacons of light in their communities. They foster global perspectives, exemplify cross-cultural collaboration, and leverage the power of cultural diversity to prepare students to become global contributors. International Schools Services is the catalyst that helps unlock the power of international schools.

History

ISS was established in 1955, to promote and advance excellence in education around the world by recruiting and cultivating international teachers, and founding and developing international schools. In the decades preceding the founding of ISS, many international schools were being established as the result of the increasing cooperation amongst countries initially brought about by the establishment of the League of Nations. The founder of ISS, Arthur Sweetser, was present at birth at the League of Nations at the Versailles Conference in Paris as a member of the American Peace Commission appointed by Woodrow Wilson. Education was very much a part of Arthur’s life as he was an emissary of the US Government promoting to the US population the virtues of countries working together for peace and the general betterment of mankind.

Prior to the founding of ISS, Arthur was a founding member of the International School of Geneva and of the United Nations International School in New York. Upon his retirement, Arthur spoke the following words to his colleagues in the United Nations: “You are working for all the ends that make life worthwhile on this planet – for peace, for the eradication of war, for human advancement, for human rights and decencies, for better living standards, better education, better travel and communications – in short, for the world as it ought to be.”

For more than 60 years, ISS has been dedicated to setting up, supplying and running high-quality international schools with everything needed to provide students with a world-class education. Since 1955, ISS has placed more than 40,000 educators around the globe; started and managed over 100 schools; developed standards-based language curriculum and supported other curricular innovations; connected over 2,000 school supply vendors with schools worldwide, and managed 75 school foundations.

ISS is at a pivotal point in its history. As a comprehensive, “one-stop” shop, we have always enjoyed a long-standing reputation for providing integrated services that were both high-quality and affordable. In recent years, the popularity of international education and the number of international schools have exploded. At the same time, international schools’ demographics have changed dramatically from serving exclusively expatriate ("ex pat") students to serving a growing number of local or “host country national” students who want a Western education that will prepare them for university study abroad and global careers.

In response to the changes in the international school market and growing competition in the sector, we recently completed a strategic plan that builds on ISS’s over sixty-year history serving international schools and reflects the evolution of both international schools and the broader world. Entitled “A Framework for the Future,” the plan identifies seven strategic priorities that focus on strengthening ISS’s core services, establishing strategic partnerships, and launching new initiatives – all with the aim of best supporting international schools and educators.

The ISS Mission

As the nonprofit leader in global education, ISS provides comprehensive, customized, student-centered services to schools and educators that exemplify best practices, catalyze innovation, foster collaboration, and connect educators around the world. We are committed to creating and supporting world-class schools across the globe that promote global understanding and educate students to be thoughtful, imaginative leaders.

As a non-profit, we are able to re-invest in and continuously develop cutting-edge programs for global educators and the schools they serve, and help our customers realize greater value and savings. We believe that international education has the power to positively impact and transform students, families, their communities and the world.

In addition to our managed schools the Asia Pacific Office represents ISS with our joint venture partner ISS-ULink. ISS-ULink is developing innovative programs to train national teachers in China in western teaching pedogogy. Currently there are two ISS-ULink schools: Nansha College Preparatory Academy and NCIC-Immersion School. Lila Leung is the General Manager of ISS-ULink.

Caribbean: Hollywood, Florida

The office is headed by David Randall, who has been an overseas educator for 40 years, serving as teacher, principal, finance director, and head of school. Dave’s experience encompasses 11 schools in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Our schools in the Caribbean include Cayman International School and the International School of Aruba.